Boston’s McQuaid skates, return uncertain

BOSTON – When he crashed into the end boards in Chicago a week ago, Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid could not imagine what was in store for him.

Although he appeared to avoid a concussion, doctors haven't been able to pinpoint exactly what's wrong with him, so McQuaid's injury has been treated like a concussion. For the most part, it's been classified as a neck injury.

He started practicing with the team early in the week, but was then pulled out for a couple days.

The optional skate at TD Garden this morning in preparation for the Bruins' game with the San Jose Sharks was his second straight day back on the ice.

"I'm actually feeling really good. So it's been a bit of a process to get back to where I'm at right now. I'm feeling good and we'll see from here, I'm not really sure for tonight or anything like that," said McQuaid after he stayed on the ice a little longer than the rest of his teammates.

Coach Claude Julien said that McQuaid's status was still up in the air as of this morning. Once McQuaid gets medical clearance, the coach can then reconsider inserting him back in the lineup.

For now, second-year defenseman Steven Kampfer is filling that spot as the team's No. 6 defenseman. And McQuaid's frustrating start to the season, which started with an illness that scratched him from the Bruins' first game, continues.

"That's the thing that there's been a few different things – being sick before this – so we're not really sure what's causing what, so we had to rule out different things," said McQuaid about the frustration. "So that's probably slowed things down a little bit as far as not knowing it's this so we can treat exactly this. But I'm feeling good now and moving forward."

He's only 17 but he can see the ice so well and he moves the puck and goes to the open ice all the time, so I just think he's a player that is ready to play in the NHL. I'm really looking forward to coaching someone like this.

— U.S. National Junior Team coach Ron Wilson on Auston Matthews, the projected No. 1 pick of the 2016 NHL Draft